Electrical switching device



March 30 1926. 1,578,685 (3. D. RICHARD 1 V ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICEFiled Nov. 6, 1922 by Affk.

Patented Mar. 30, 19 25:.

UNITED STATES assess PATENT ()FFIQE.

CHARLES D. RICHARD, OF NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T WESTERN ELEC-TRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORIPORATION OF NEWYORK.

ELECTRICAL SVTITCI-IING DEVICE.

Application filed November 6, 1922. Serial No. 599,258.

To all 10710212 it: may concern:

Be it known that I, Crranmcs I). RICHARD, a citizen of France, residingat New Brighton in the county of Richmond, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Electrical SwitchingDevices, of which the following is a full,

*. concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to electrical switching apparatus and moreespecially to'that class of switching apparatus used for theestablishment of telephone and similar connections.

The object of theinvention is to improve the construction and operationof switching devices by reducing the number of moving: parts and bysimplifying; the function of these parts.

A feature or the invention is the provision of a switch having two setsof contact elements cei ,n ones of which extend through apertures thecooperation of said members serving to efiect connection between thecontact sets.

Other advantages contemplated by this invention wiil be taken up indetail in the lowing description and also pointed out in the annexedclaims.

The invention is an improvement on switch structures or the general typedisclosed in Patent No. 1.51:3,735 granted to Charles L. Goodrum and J.N. Reynolds on November 18, 192st.

In the drawing Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate one modification of a selectiveswitching device, while Figs. 3, t and 5 disclose a second modificationembodying the principles of this invention. Fig. 1 is a front viewillustrating a portion of the switch structure; Fig. 2 is a side View ofthe same construction talcen on the broken line in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is afront view showing a portion of the structure of the secondmodification; Fig. 1: a side view taken alone; the broken line in Fig:3; Fig". is a detail on an enlarged scale illustrating the action of themovable contacts as they engage the respective passive contacts.

Considering first the switch disclosed in 1 and 2. a plurality ofcontact operatmembers 1 are provided each of which a longitudinal stripof insulating l. Each member 1 is individual to a vertical row ofcontact elements and serves in a pair of actuating members,

as will be explained hereinafter to prepare these elements forengagement with the cooperating contacts. For each set of contactscontrolled by the ope 'ating member 1 there occurs in said member arectangular opening or aperture 3. r I

Coacting with the members 1 are a plurality of operating ineniibers 2arranged at right angles and constituting a second set. The operatingmen'ibers 2 are likewise made of some suitable insulating material andare each provided at each intersection with an operating;- member 1 withthree L-shaped apertures 7. The apertures 7 are so arranged as toregister with the aperture 3 in the corresponding OPQIfRt-lllg' member1.

The operating members 1 of the first set are suitably supported in theframe oi the switch not shown) for movement in a longitudinal direction.Electromagnets 6 are provided with armatures l5 and serve to pull therespective members 1 downwardly to the set position, while retractilesprinbis 1.6 withdraw said members 1 to their normal positions whenmagnets 3 become deenen gized. i I

The operating members 2 of the second set are likewise actuated by meansof electromagnets at and are provided with an armature 26 and aretractile spring 5.

The horizontal operating members 2 each provided with a number ofmetallic terminal strips rigidly connected thereto by means of rivets orin any other suitable fashion. In the disclosure three of these stripsare shown having integral projecting portions 12, 13. 14:. 23. 24 and 25which "form contact elen'ients. The three metallic strips are insulatedfrom each other. As seen best in Fig. 1 the projecting contact portionssuch as 12, 1?, and 141 occur in proximity to the L-shaped apertures inthe operating members 2. i

The other set. of contact elements comprises tlexible bare wireconductors such the conductors 9. 11, 17. 18, 1.9, 20, 21, and 22. Theseflexible conductors are se cured at one end in insulating blocks 27 andproject through the rectangular apertures 3 in the operating members 1and thence through the L-shaped apertures in the corresponding operatingmembers 2. A guide for the. exible wire conductors is provided in the 1"rm of an insulating plate '54.. The

l n l plate 54-, which may be rigidly secured to the frame, is providedwith vertical elongated slots 8 through which the flexible contactelements project. When in their normal position the flexible contactelements extend through the L-shal bers 2 to a position where they areenabled to make engagement with the rigid contact portions on saidmembers :2. The normal position of the several parts of the switch isbest shownin the upper portion of Fig. 1. Here the flexible wirecontacts 9, 10 and 11, for example, rest in the upper portion or therespective L-shapcd apertures 7 out of engagement with the rigidcontacts 12, 13 and 1i. 7

When it is desired to operate the switch to move any set of flexiblecontacts into engagement with the corresponding set of rigid contacts,the proper one of the vertical operating members 1 is drawn downwardlyby the energization of its magnet- 6. The downward movement. of the bar1 causes the upper side of the rectangular aperture 3 to flex thecorresponding contact wires 9, 10 and 11 downward. These wires pass downto the bottom of the L-shaped notches where they are in alignment withthe respective rigid contacts 12, 13, and 1.4. Next the properhorizontal operating member 2 is moved to the right in Fig. 1 by theenergization of its electromagnet t. The movement of the member 2carries the rigid contacts into engagement with the positioned flexiblecontacts and the connection is effected. The flexible contacts 17, 18and 19, for example, are shown to be in engagement with the rigidcontacts 28, 2 1. and 25.

It will be noted that during the moven'icnt of an operating member 2that only the particular set of flexible contacts which have beenpreviously positioned by one of the operating members 1 is engaged bythe corresponding rigidcontacts carried on said member 2. None of theunflexcd contacts are disturbed by the moving operating member 2 due tothe wide portion of the L-shaped apertures. The relative position of theflexible contacts in the L-shaped aperturcs after the operating member 2has been fully advanced is seen in the lower part of Fig. 1. Theflexible contacts 20, 21 and 22, for example, which were not flexeddownwardly are seen to reside near the left-hand edge of the L-shapcdopenings 7 with the bar 2 in its advanced position.

liy first positioning any two of the operating members 1 and thenadvancing one of the members 2, the sets of contacts in the two verticalrows may be interconnected through the medium of the contacts on theoperated member 2. In this case the contact strips on the operatingmembers 2 serve as links to interconnect the ditterent pairs of flexiblewire contacts.

Jed apertures in the mom-- it will be noted that any operating member 1when moved downwardly positions all flexible contacts under its control.As soon as the desired set of flexible contacts are connected to thecorresponding rigid contacts, the operating member 1 maybe released,returning all remaining sets of flexible contacts to their normalpositions. in Fig. 1 the flexible contacts 9, 10 and 11 which were moveddownwardly by the memher 1 at the time contacts 17, 18 and 19 wereplaced in engagement with the rigid contacts 23, 2 1 and 25, have beenreleased and now reside in their normal positions as seen in the figure.When the operating member 1 has released following the operation of amember 2, the engaged flexible contacts 17, 18 and 19 are prevented:lrom rcturi'iing and are held in engagement with the rigidcontacts dueto thepressure exerted by these rigid contacts 9., 24; and and the angleat which they are disposed.

in order to release the connection it is only necessary to deenergizethe operating magnet 4L permitting the operating member to return to itsnormal position and the flexible contacts 17, 18 and 19 spring back intotheir normal positions.

Should another opera-ting member 1 be subsequently moved downwardlyduring the advanced position of an operating member 2 the flexiblecontact elements relating to the member 2 will not engage theircooperating rigid contact members due to the shape of the apertures 7Observing the flexible conductors 20, 21, and 22, if the member 1 weremoved downwardly, these flexible contacts would strike against the edgeof the L-shaped apertures 7 before they had reached the contacts Z32),and 57.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 3, a. and will next be described.This switch, is in general the same as the one illustrated in Figs. 1and 2 and comprises a plurality of operating members 28 arranged toslide up and down in the frame plates and 53. Each member consists ot astrip of insulating material and is held in its normal position by meansot a retractile spring The strip 28 is operated by an individualelectromagnet 17 whose armature 19 is arranged to draw the strip 28downwardly against the tension of spring 58.

Cooperating with the stri s 28 is a second set of insulating strips oroperating members, two oi which 29 and 30, are shown in the drawings.The strips of the second set are arranged at right angles to the members28 and are actuated longitudinally by means of individual electromagnets31 and 32. The operating members 29 and are restored to their normalpositions by the retractile springs 33 and 3 1.

At the point of intersection oil an operating member 28 with each of thehorizontal operating strips 29, 30, etc., the member 28 is provided witha rectangular opening similar to that shown in the member 1. Adjacenttothe rectangular opening in the member 28, the intersecting operatingmember 29 is provided with three L-shaped apertures 85, 36 and 37.Similarly, the operating member 30 and all other operating members areprovided with these L-sha-ped openings which register with therectangular apertures in the operating members of the other set.

The flexible or active contacts of the switch comprise flat contactelements or springs 38, 89, 4O, 4%, 45, 46, etc. These contact elementsare secured to the insulating block 48 and extend through therectangular openings in the operating strips 28 and thence through theL-shaped openings in the horizontal strips 29, 30, etc.

The passive or stationary contact elements of the switch consist of anumber of ordinary bare wire conductors A l, 42 and 43, there being a.set of these conductors for each of the operating members 28 andarranged for engagement with each set of conductors controlled by an'operating member 29, 30, etc. The passive contact Wires are attached tothe frame of the switch as best seen in Fig. 4. They are secured to thebottom plate 53 and insulated therefrom and then passed throughinsulating bushings in the top plate 52. After passing through the topplate 52, the wire conductors are secured to a member which is urgedupwardly by he coil spring 51 to maintain the conductors under tension.

The flexible or active contact elements after projecting through theoperating strips of both sets extend to a point where they cooperatewith the respective passive wires as sh wn in Fig. 4-. These activecontact strips are each made of a piece of flat conducting material"which is twisted at an intermediate point through an angle ofsubstantially and then the outward end of the conductor is fashioned topresent a curved or cylindrical surface for engagement with the parssivewires. The shape of the free ends of the active contact elements is bestillustrated in 5 where the element 38 is shown in an enlarged scale.

To operate the switch, one of the electromagnet 14-? is energized topull downwardly its ope t .g member 28 against the tension of spring 58.As the member 28 is moved upper edges of the rectangular slots reinencounter the flexible contact springs 38 39, 44, 45, 4.6, etc. and bendthemdownwardly. The free ends of each set of flexible contactscontrolled by the operated member 28 are moved to the bottom of therespective L-shaped openings in the operating members 29, 30, etc.

Next, one of the operating members of the other set, such as the member30, is

moved to the right by the energization of its operating magnet 32. Themovement of the member 30 causes the lower left-hand edges of theL-shaped openings to engage and move the respective flexible contactsat, and 46 into engagement with the passive contact wires 41, 42 and 43.Following the operation of the member 30 the operating member 28 may bereleased permitting the remaining flexible contacts controlled therebyto be restored to their normal positions. The actuated contacts 4A, 4-5and t6, however, are held in their operated position due to the pressureexerted by the operated member 30.

The engagement of the flexible contact wires with the rigid contactwires is acconrpanied by a rolling action of the former in order toclean them to insure good electricalv contacts. This action is bestillustrated in Fig. Assume that the member 28 is drawn downwardly. Thisserves to move the fienible contact 38 from its normal position as shownin full lines to its prepared position shown in dotted lines directlybelow. Next the operating member 29 is moved to the right. The L-shapedopening 35 acts upon the positioned contact spri 38 and carries it alongwith the member :3; until the forward ed e of the spring 38 encountersthe stationary wire terminals-l. Further movement of the member 29causes-:1

the flexible contact 38 to twist whereby the curved surface of the freeend thereof rolls on the stationary wire 41 until it acquires theposition shown in dotted lines at the right.

In order to release the connection it is only necessary to deenergizethe magnet 32- allowing the operating member 30 to move back to itsnormal position. As soon as the member 30 releases its pressure on theactuated contact springs 44, 4.5 and 46 they unflex and move back intotheir normal pos tions.

vVhat is claimed is:

l. The combination in a switching device 0 f two sets of contactelements, a pair of operating members each having apertures throughwhich certain of said contacts normally e tcnd, and means for movingsaid members. said members cooperating with each other to effectengagement between said sets of contacts.

2. The combination in aswitching device of sets of contact elements, apair of operating members having apertures therein, oti or sets ofcontact elements each element of which extends through the apertures inboth operating members, and means for moving said members to eli ectengagement between the first and second mentioned sets of contactelements.

'3. The combination in a switching device of a set of contacts, a pairof insulating czi loo

strips having apertures therein, a second set of contacts each contactof said second set projecting through the apertures in both of saidinsulating strips, and electromagnets for moving said strips lengthwiseto efiecr engagement between said first and said second sets ofcontacts.

4. The combination in a switching device of a sctot rigid contacts, apair of operating members having apertures therein, a set of flexiblecontacts projecting through the apertures in both operating members,means tor moving one member to flex the flexible contacts, and means formoving the oth member to effect engagement between the 'lexible andrigid contacts.

5. The combination in a switching devicev of a set of contact elements,a pair of operating members having apertures therein, a second set ofcontacts each contact of said second set extending through the aperturesin both operating members, and means tor moving said members, saidmembers cooperating due to the shape of said apertures to effectengagement between the contacts of said sets.

(3. The combination in a switching device of primary contacts, two sets0t operating members having apertures therein, secondary contacts eachextending through an aperture in a member 0t each set. and means formoving any member of one set and any member of the other set to effectengageme'nt between the primary and secondary contacts.

7. The combination in a switching device of primary contacts, two setsof operating members arranged at right angles to each other and havingapertures therein, secondary cont-acts each extending through anaperture in an operating member of each set, and means for moving saidmembers longitudinally to eitect an engagement between the primary andsecondary contacts.

8. In a switching device, a plurality oi primary contacts, two sets ofoperating men'ibers having openings therein, secondary contacts eachextending through an opening in a member of each set, means for movingany member in one to select certain secondary contacts, and means formoving any member in the other set to effect engagement between theselected. secondary contacts and certain primary contacts.

9. In a switching device, a plurality of passive contacts, two sets ofoperating members having openings therein, active contacts eachprojecting through an opening in a member of each set, and means formoving any member in one set and any member in the other set toselectively engage the active and passive contact in witness whereof, Ihereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of November A. l).

CHARLES D. RICHARD.

